Wheel cover



1958 (5.. A. LYON 2,846,269

WHEEL COVER I Original Filed Sept. 23, 1953 38 E I 20 @Y\ 30 I I 1 l Eire ZTZZUT' Gearye Albert Lyon United States Patent 6 WHEEL COVER George Albert Lyon, Detroit, Mich..

Original application September 23, 1953, Serial No. 381,793, now Patent No. 2,729,512, dated January 3, 1956. Divided'and'this application December 12, 1955, Serial No. 552,426

7 Claims. (Cl. 301-37) The present invention relates to wheel. structures and more particularly concerns the ornamental and protective covering of the outer sides ofvehicle wheels.

The present application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 381,793 filed September 23,, 1953', now Patent No. 2,729,512.

, An object of the present invention is to provide a wheel structure having novel cover means for disposition at thev outer side thereof and equipped with improved re.- taining and centering means.

Another object of this invention is to provide a detach.- able wheel cover which lends itself to economical manufacture from sheet metal.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a wheel cover with retaining means which also servesas a.

means for centering the cover on the wheel as it is pressed home into retained position.

It is still another object of the invention to provide novel centering and retaining finger structure forwheel covers, which finger structure is especially suitable for press-on, pry-off retention witha wheel flange.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent. from the following detailed description of a' preferred embodiment thereof includes a pneumatic tube and tire 9 mounted in the. usual manner upon the steps orflanges of a multi-fiangedv drop. center type of tire rim. 10, which in turn is carried by a central wheel body part 11. The wheell body or spider part 11 comprises a dished metallic stamping fastened at spaced intervals to the base flange of the rim part 10, leaving the usual wheel openings 12 between the points of fastening.

The body part 11 also includes a bulged central nose portion 13 which terminates in anindented bolt-on flange 14, which can be secured by the. customary. cap screws. or bolts (not shown) to a part on anvautomobile wheel axle;

The nose portion 13 of the body part 11 has spaced inclined hub cap retaining bumps or protuberances 15" at. its inner side. Detachably cooperable with those bumps 15 is a metallic shell-like hub cap 16 having an underturned skirt 17 telescoping the nose portion 13 and terminating in a curled edge 18 adapted to be snapped over and behind the bumps 15. This hub cap maybe removed by a screw-driver or other pry-01f tool.to afford access to the bolt-on flange. 14 when. it is desired to remove the wheel from the axle;

Cooperable with this wheel is a circular wheel cover" 7 2,846,269 Patented Aug. 5,1958

20 embracing the features of this invention. This cover is made of any suitable sheet material, such, for example, as sheet steel, brass, aluminum alloy, or the like, and includes radially inner and outer divergent portions 21- and 22; In other words, the cover 20 is of a dished cross-sectional configuration.

The inner margin of the cover is. indented at- 23 to provide a space 24 betweenthe cover. and the outer edge: of the hub cap to. permit of the introduction of theend of a pry-off tool under the edge of the. hub capin the removal of the hub cap. The dished flange 23 serves as a shoulder for the pry-off tool to engage: in the ejectionofi the cap. In addition, if it. is so-desired, the inner edge of the cover 20 may be extended radially inwardly at- 25 so as to underlie the edge. of the cap. In this-way thecover can also be clamped by the-cap to the body-part. In any eventv theflange 25 whetherit extends under the:

.cap or not should. preferably bottom. against thenosemodation of the usual wheel balancing, weightv (not shown) carried by the outer edge'ofthe tirerima This cover of my invention is preferably made in theform of a stamping. and. any suitablecurling. tool may be employed for forming the-turned outer edge of the cover. This cover may be given any desirable external finish, such, for example, as a-high lustrous finish; If it is made of stainless steel, as is very commonly usedin wheel covers, it may begiven-aahigh bulffinish.

In order to retain this. cover 20 0a the'wheel there is attached to the rear sideof the-cover portion 22 adja cent the junction ofthe wheel parts'aplurality of spacedretaining and centering elements 29 welded at 30 to: the cover. Theseelements may bemade of spring; steel and each of them is preferably made in one generally L- shaped piece and includes a-- generally radially outwardly projecting retaining finger'3'1 and a generally axially ex-- tending centering finger 32'. Thesefin'gers are"connectedv together by a body portion which is securedtothe cover atthewelds 30so that the welds in: reality constitutev a fulcrum point for each ofthe'fingers-in' the usenandioper ationof the cover.

Each of the retaining ele'rnents29has' the body'portioni thereof nested in a saddle-like cross-sectioned annular rearwardly grooved portion 27 of the intermediatedished part of the cover member 20 to thereby assist not only.

locatingof the retaining elements 29in assembling the same with the cover member 20*" but also'to provide shoulder interengagement of the retaining elements and the cover to resist transverse or radial displacement of the retaining elements relative to'thecover.

It will be observed that the axially inner. portion off the radially outer cover portion or section 22' is'dispose'd to'lie in radially inwardly spaced relationto' attire-rimintermediate flange 34; That is, the axially-inner po'r tion of the cover part'22'is ofla smaller diameter"than the intermediate flange34;

Herein each of the retaining fingers 31'extends radially outwardly to a point roughly midway between the. interrim-flange 34 and the adjacent radially-outwardly facing-.- portion ofthe cover, the retaining terminal leg 33 is generally radially flexible in said space so that in applying the cover to the outer side of the wheel, the tips of the terminal extremities 40 of the retaining fingers may cam and slide generally radially inwardly and axially inwardly from a somewhat larger diameter than the diameter of the axially outer portion of the rim flange 34, axially inwardly along the rim flange with corresponding radially inward deflection of the retaining leg terminals and of the leg terminal portions 33. This develops a substantially tensioned condition in the retaining fingers 31 and more particularly the leg portions 33 thereof for thereby effecting efiicient radially outward cover retaining thrust of the tips of the terminal flanges 40 against the rin flange 34.

Moreover, I have found that this angular construction of the legs 33 and the terminals 40 while afiording a tight grip of the fingers is easily releasable in prying the cover from the wheel. This is accomplished by applying a pry-off tool behind the cover edge 28 and fulcruming,

the tool, such as a screw driver, on the outer edge of the tire rim. In response to such pry-off force the retaining finger legs 33 exert an axially outward thrust on the retaining terminals 40 and thus cause the tips thereof to slide free from the rim flange. This structure is such that any tendency of the retaining fingers of the clips 29 to turn inside-out is effectively resisted. The dished configuration of the cover both in the radially outer portion 22 thereof and in the intermediate portion 27 substantially rigidifies the cover and resists buckling or distortion of the cover under the effect of the pry-off force.

In the course of movement of the cover 20 inwardly into position on the wheel, the centering fingers 32 enter the wheel openings 12 and bear against the base flange 36 of the tire rim so as to center the cover on the wheel. In addition, axially inward stop limit is afforded by the provision on each of the fingers 32 of a generally radially outwardly and axially inwardly directed shoulder 37 arranged to engage against a juncture shoulder 38 on the tire rim where the base flange 36 thereof joins a side flange 39 of the tire rim. This holds the cover in proper plane relation to the wheel and properly spaced from the tire rim.

By the arrangement shown the dished portion of the cover extends into a position in close proximity to but in spaced relation to the junction of the wheel parts sothat the cover substantially follows the contour of the flanges of the tire rim part for thereby providing a highly desirable ornamental eflect.

Attention is directed to the fact that while the wheel cover is shown with a detachable center hub cap 16, the hub cap 16 could, as is well known in the art, also be made integral with the cover inasmuch as the retaining fingers are sufliciently strong to hold the cover on the wheel regardless of whether it be in the form of an annulus or full disk.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a wheel structure including a wheel having multiflanged tire rim and body parts with spaced wheel openings adjacent their junction, a circular wheel cover for disposition on said wheel over the junction of said parts and means for centering and retaining said cover on the wheel comprising a plurality of elements fastened at spaced points to the back side of the cover, each element including a finger for retainingly gripping a flange of the rim part and each element having another finger positioned to extend into a wheel opening to engage a wheel part therein for centering the cover on the wheel, each of said gripping fingers having an angled extremity including an axially extending leg and a generally radially extending short leg terminating in a flange gripping extremity.

2. In a wheel structure including a wheel body and a tire rim, a cover for the outer side of the wheel having amargin disposed adjacent to the tire rim, said margin having therebehind a set of retaining clips, said clips supporting the cover in spaced relation to the wheel and having first legs with retaining tips engaging a generally axially extending flange of the tire rim and second legs with shoulders bottoming against a generally radially extending flange of the tire rim, said retaining tips extending generally radially outwardly from generally axially out-- wardly extending intermediate portions of said first legs.

3. A cover for disposition at the outer side of a vehicle wheel, a margin on the cover adapted to lie opposite a tire rim, said margin having therebehind a series of retaining spring clips having generally radially outwardly projecting retaining terminals, and generally axially inwardly projecting legs having portions intermediate the extremities thereof aifording shoulders for engagement with one part of a tire rim while the retaining terminals engage another part of the tire rim, said retaining terminals being disposed on generally axially outwardly extending leg portions of said spring clips.

4. In a wheel structure including a multi-flanged tire rim and a wheel body, a cover for disposition at the outer side of the wheel including an annular dished por- I tion to lie in assembly with the wheel in adjacent spaced relation to the juncture of the rim and wheel body, said annular portion having an annular shoulder groove therein, and a series of retaining clip members having intermediate body portions nested in said groove and 7 thereby uniformly located with respect to said annular portion, said clips having generally radially outwardly projecting retaining legs diverging from the cover for engagement with the tire rim and additional legs diverging from the cover and extending generally axially inwardly for centering engagement with the wheel.

5. In a wheel structure including a multi-flanged tire rim and a wheel body, a cover for disposition at the outer side of the wheel including an annular dished portion to lie in assembly with the wheel in adjacent spaced relation to the juncture of the rim and wheel body, said annular portion having an annular shoulder groove therein, and a series of retaining clip members having intermediate body portions nested in said groove and thereby uniformly located with respect to said annular portion, said clips having generally radially outwardly radially outwardly therefrom and facing radially inwardly, a cover for disposition at the outer side of the wheel including a portion to lie in substantially concentric radially inwardly spaced relation from said intermediate flange and merging with an annular generally axially inv wardly facing tire rim side flange confronting portion, said tire rim confronting portion having attached to the axially inwardly facing surface thereof a circumferentially spaced series of retaining clips having resilient retaining fingers extending generally radially outwardly and provided with generally axially outwardly extending resilient retaining finger legs spaced radially outwardly from said first mentioned cover portion and spaced radially inwardly from the intermediate flange and radially resilientlydeflectable relative to both the cover and the intermediate flange, said legs having short and stiff radially and axially outwardly angled retaining terminals engageable at their tips in retaining gripping press-on, pryofl relation with said intermediate flange, the terminal tips normally lying to a greater diameter than the di-:

ameter of the engageable portion of the intermediate flange and thereby being radially inwardly deflected by ajsaelaec and thus placing said legs under resilient radially inwardly deflected tension, said legs resisting buckling thereof in response to pry-elf force and thus effecting axially outward thrust upon said tips during pry-off to cause the tips to slide free from said engageable portion of the intermediate flange.

7. In a wheel structure including a tire rim having a side flange facing generally axially outwardly and an intermediate flange projecting generally axially and radially outwardly therefrom and facing radially inwardly, a cover for disposition at the outer side of the wheel including a portion to lie in substantially concentric radially inwardly spaced relation from said intermediate flange and merging with an annular generally axially inwardly facing tire rim side flange confronting portion, said tire rim confronting portion having attached to the axially inwardly facing surface thereof a circumferentially spaced series of retaining clips having resilient retaining fingers extending generally radially outwardly and provided with generally axially outwardly extending resilient retaining finger legs spaced radially outwardly from said first mentioned cover portion and spaced radially inwardly from the intermediate flange and radially resiliently deflectable relative to both the cover and the intermediate flange, said legs having short and stifl radially and axially outwardly angled retaining terminals engageable at their tips in retaining gripping press-on, pryofi relation with said intermediate flange, the terminal tips normally lying to a greater diameter than the diameter of the engageable portion of the intermediate flange and thereby being radially inwardly deflected by the retaining engagement with the intermediate flange and thus placing said legs under resilient radially inwardly deflected tension, said legs resisting buckling thereof in response to pry-oft force and thus effecting axially outward thrust upon said tips during pry-off to cause the tips to slide free from said engageable portion of the intermediate flange, said clips being secured to said axially inwardly facing surface by welding.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,193,104 Lyon Mar. 12, 1940 2,368,230 Lyon Ian. 30, 1945 2,368,235 Lyon Ian. 30, 1945 2,411,164 Lyon Nov. 19, 1946 

